It is very well-known and standard practice to collect blood from a patient using a device commonly known as a “vacutainer”. This type of known device has a double ended needle which is fitted to a housing. The housing approximates a shortened syringe barrel. The double ended needle is fitted to the housing such that a longer part of the needle extends from the housing and a shorter part of the needle extends into the housing. To take blood from a patient, the longer part of the needle is inserted into a blood vessel. The blood is collected into a container which approximates a test tube and which can be made of glass or plastic. The container has an open end which is covered by a rubber stopper (or stopper made of other material), and the container is partially evacuated. The container is pushed up into the housing until such time as the inner end of the needle pieces the rubber stopper. The partial vacuum in the container causes blood to be sucked through the needle and into the container. When the blood collection is completed, the container is removed from the housing. The housing containing the attached needle is then pulled back to remove the needle from the blood vessel. The housing containing the attached needle then needs to be disposed of in a safe manner but it is at this point that needlestick injury can occur as the needle is (a) contaminated and the needle (b) projects from the front of the housing.
Therefore, there would be an advantage if it were possible to have a blood collecting device which still uses the above principle of a partially evacuated container, but which has some form of mechanism to enable the needle to be retracted to reduce or even to the eliminate the possibility of needlestick injury.
It will be clearly understood that, if a prior art publication is referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or in any other country.